Chapter 4

The next morning, early in the courtyard, people saw Director Lin and his family leave the house.

A familiar neighbor, Aunt Zhang, greeted them. "Director Lin, taking your little granddaughter out so early for some fun?"

Grandpa Lin chuckled and waved his hand. "Not exactly. Yesterday, Little Lan and her grandmother agreed that today they’d go to Hospital 893 for her grandmother’s checkup."

Aunt Zhang glanced at Lin Yilan skeptically; she didn’t quite believe that the granddaughter was simply accompanying her grandmother for a routine check. But she kept her thoughts to herself. "That’s good. Little Lan is so filial, unlike my sons Zhigao and Zhiqi—they’re always scheming about how to get a few extra bowls of rice."

Grandpa Lin feigned modesty, but the slight upward curve of his lips betrayed his quiet pride. "Ah, Zhigao is doing fine. Just the other day, I saw him out looking for a job. And Zhiqi did well on his exams recently. Sister, don’t set your expectations too high—Zhigao and Zhiqi are among the best young men in our compound."

In a way, parents always relish hearing praise for their children from outsiders. Aunt Zhang was no exception, but knowing she shouldn’t keep them from their matters, she said, "Director Lin, I should get back and make breakfast for those two rascals. You all carry on."

Grandpa Lin nodded, "Alright, alright."

After bidding the familiar Aunt Zhang farewell, the group went straight to the hospital without stopping.

Time at the hospital passed strangely quickly. Although they didn’t seem to do much, half a day slipped away in no time.

At lunchtime, Lin Yilan took her grandparents to the nearby Dongfeng Restaurant.

As one of the flagship state-run restaurants in Jing City, Dongfeng was bustling with diners at noon. After a brief two-minute wait, the three generations of the Lin family were seated.

When Grandpa Lin got up to order, Lin Yilan flipped through Grandma Lin’s test results.

"Little Lan, you’ve looked at those papers so many times and still can’t get enough?" Grandma Lin said with a helpless smile.

Without looking up, Lin Yilan kept scanning the reports. "Grandma, I’m just worried."

"You and Grandpa are getting on in years. Sometimes, ignoring a minor ailment can lead to bigger problems. I just asked the doctor. Older folks like you tend to lack calcium. I’ll think of a way to get some calcium supplements for you."

Grandma Lin waved her hand vigorously. "Those calcium pills are too expensive. We can’t afford them."

Lin Yilan carefully folded the reports and placed them in a cloth bag beside her. "Grandma, sometimes you want something but can’t get it. I’ll first see if Grandpa’s doctor can prescribe it. If not, I’ll find someone to help buy it."

Frowning, Grandma Lin took Lin Yilan’s hand and lowered her voice, "Little Lan, don’t you dare get involved in any shady dealings. I’m warning you."

"You worked so hard to get into university. Don’t let something like this ruin your future."

Lin Yilan nodded, squeezing her grandmother’s hand and gently patting it. "Grandma, don’t worry. I’ll be careful. Besides, the government already issued new policies last year!"

Grandma Lin, concerned that Lin Yilan might not take her seriously, spoke more solemnly, "I know there are new policies, but how we interpret them—that’s still unclear. You mustn’t act recklessly."

"I know Xiao Zhang must have told you about Professor Li’s wife selling braised meat on the side. I’m warning you, don’t get into business."

Lin Yilan gave her grandmother a reassuring smile. "Don’t worry, Grandma. I’m not going into business now."

Besides, she knew very well that doing business wasn’t something just anyone could manage.

She never thought, just because she came from decades in the future, that she was more experienced. Lin Yilan understood that in matters of business, she truly couldn’t compare to those brave first-movers of today.

"Oh, by the way, did you and Grandpa visit your old leader recently? I saw Uncle Shengli the other day. He seemed to be walking with an elderly lady who looked a lot like you. Dad and Mom should learn from Uncle Shengli. I’ve been back for quite a while, but I still haven’t seen him walking with you or Grandpa in the compound. Next time, I’ll tell them."

Lin Yilan asked casually.

"Your parents just barely managed to transfer their jobs here. Their housing and schools haven’t been settled yet. Let them focus on their work," Grandma Lin said, placing the food in front of Lin Yilan.

"Actually, I only remembered to bring you here for the checkup after seeing them."

Grandpa Lin set down a dish of braised pork. Lin Yilan pretended to focus on the meat but secretly watched her grandmother’s expression.

She hadn’t actually seen Uncle Shengli or Grandma Lin’s old leader. She had overheard the neighborhood ladies chatting about how Uncle Shengli took his mother for walks every evening, so she mentioned it to her grandmother.

Thinking about lying in front of her revolutionary grandparents, Lin Yilan pursed her lips, feeling a slight sweat on her back.

Grandpa and Grandma Lin clearly didn’t treat their granddaughter with the same caution they reserved for enemies.

"The lady you saw must be Sister Liu, my old leader. Little Lan, you have a keen eye. Among her children, only Shengli really resembles her," Grandma Lin said, placing a piece of meat in Grandpa Lin’s bowl.

"But Little Lan, why did seeing Sister Liu make you decide to bring me for a checkup?"

Lin Yilan bit her lip, fiddling with her chopsticks. "That day, I thought Sister Liu didn’t look well."

Grandma Lin, who had initially thought Lin Yilan was joking, put down her chopsticks. "What do you mean? When your Grandpa and I visited Uncle Shengli’s home, Sister Liu was in good spirits—cheerful, talking with us about her grandson."

"If you really think something’s wrong with Sister Liu, don’t worry about being mistaken. Tell me exactly what you saw, and I’ll remind Uncle Shengli right away."

Lin Yilan recalled the information she had gathered at the library and details about Sister Liu’s illness from the original novel plot, fabricating some circumstances.

"I noticed Sister Liu looked tired, and her hands were swollen. One day, I saw her sitting in the yard, pounding her own hands, her face pale and looking uncomfortable. And she was alone then."

Lin Yilan glanced at Grandma Lin’s face. "Of course, Grandma, I might have been mistaken."

Grandma Lin placed her chopsticks on her bowl, her expression growing serious. "Little Lan, can the hospital still register for this checkup package? I’ll ask Uncle Shengli to sign Sister Liu up too."

Lin Yilan forced a smile. "Sure, Grandma. I might even go register Sister Liu myself later. For each test, you have to pay separately; they don’t have a bundle yet."

Grandpa Lin glanced at Lin Yilan, sensing something odd about his granddaughter. "Little Lan, you’re showing favoritism. You worry so much about Grandma’s health, but I haven’t seen you worry about me."

"You eat your meat. Always so jealous," Grandma Lin said, placing a piece of meat in Grandpa Lin’s bowl.

Lin Yilan chuckled quietly. "Grandpa, I promise I’m not biased. Doesn’t the compound arrange annual checkups for retired cadres like you? I even asked my uncle in military logistics and the doctor responsible for your checkups. If you weren’t generally healthy, aside from minor ailments, I’d sign you up too."

Grandpa Lin moved his mouth. "Alright, alright, Little Lan, you’re right."

"I don’t know where you got your mouth from, chattering away like a machine gun," Grandpa Lin muttered softly to Grandma Lin. "You shut me up every time."

Grandma Lin patted Lin Yilan’s hand. "Ignore your grandpa. He’s so childish."

"Here, Little Lan, eat more meat. You barely gained weight recently, and now you’ve wasted away to skin and bones," Grandma Lin put a nicely marbled piece in Lin Yilan’s bowl.

Lin Yilan raised her chin at Grandpa Lin. "Grandpa, the doctor reminded me to take good care of your legs. When it’s cold, keep them warm. I heard from Dad and Mom that Grandma even stitched you leg warmers, but you don’t wear them in winter. You must listen to Grandma."

"And with the big temperature swings between day and night, even if it’s hot during the day, make sure your legs don’t catch a chill at night…"

Listening to Lin Yilan’s nagging, Grandpa Lin looked like Sun Wukong being lectured by Tang Sanzang, wanting to cover his ears.

He really didn’t understand how a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girl could nag more than a sixty-year-old woman like A Yun. It was unbearable.

He just wanted to hurry up and go register at school.

As for the strange feeling he had about Lin Yilan earlier, it vanished completely under her relentless scolding.

Lin Yilan looked at the two elders focused on their meal and felt a great relief wash over her.

Once she finished calculating the data, she could start the design.

Completing the design would ease half her worries.

Now, she only needed to complete the checkup for Sister Liu.

She glanced at her pocket. She had enough money for today’s outing and planned to pay for Sister Liu’s tests in the afternoon.

No matter what, she would do everything in her power to protect her grandmother.